(Radio Iowa) – Today (Thursday) marks the arrival of winter, and soon enough, we’ll be dealing with big piles of snow. Aaron Steil, a consumer horticulture specialist at the Iowa State University Extension, says the drought has been tough on our landscaping this year, and some recent plantings, trees and shrubs may already be stressing as the colder weather settles in. Steil says it’s normal for some shrubs to turn brown or orange at this time of the year.

“Eastern red cedar, for example, tends to get kind of a brownish color in the winter, but it’s more dark green during the summer,” Steil says. “It’s been a pretty stressful growing season. Most of the state has been on the dry side this year and the last couple of years, and so it’s starting to build up, especially on younger or less established plants in our landscape.” Homeowners may be concerned about their trees and other plants being damaged by a heavy, wet snow, especially if their limbs are sagging.

“Most of the time, plants do a pretty good job of shedding that snow off all on their own,” Steil says, “but if you do have a younger plant, or an evergreen that seems to be very weighed down by snow, you can go out and brush it off using your hand or a broom.” If you want to clear that snow off yourself, he says there is a right way — and a wrong way — to go about the process.

“Just make sure you do it in an upward motion instead of a downward one,” he says, “so that you don’t stress branches that are bending down even more.” Steil says ice can do infinitely more damage to young plants than snow, however, he says you need to resist the urge to try to remove ice from their frozen boughs and limbs.

“You’re likely to do more damage than good. If you try to go out and remove ice from shrubs and trees in your landscape, you can go out and maybe prop something up with a board, if you’re really worried about it,” Steil says. “Otherwise, trying to break it off or throwing hot water on it to try to melt it off, all of those always do more damage than help.”

The best thing you can do for an ice-coated tree, he says, is to leave it alone and let the sun warm it up.

ATLANTIC, IA (December 20, 2023) – Produce in the Park’s Christmas Market 2023 is this Saturday, December 23, from 12 PM – 3 PM at the Nishna Valley Family YMCA. Local favorite food truck Pim’s Thai will be on site, and the YMCA will set up free bounce houses for the kids.

Vendors at this year’s Christmas Market will include food vendors offering a variety of local foods–from fresh produce and meat, to fresh breads and desserts–as well as craft vendors selling wood products, decorations such as handmade gnomes, crocheted items, jewelry, candles, and more.

Christmas Market Vendor list as of December 20
Noble Provisions
Bridgewater Farm
Brun Ko Farm
The Kringle Man
Sharon Johnson
JD Crafters
Sugar Mama Cookie Co.
Frosting Inc.
Imagine Garden Gift
Creekside Crystal and Crafts
Crawleys Christ-Centered Creations
Solis Wolf Woodworking
Gnome-atic Fanatics
Neighborhood Bakehouse
Dragonfly Creations
Corn 4 a Cause
Biederman’s Best Honey
Chelle’s KrAFty Corner
Rising Traditions
Ray’s Custom Woodwork
Shelbi Crochets

Christmas Market 2023 is sponsored by Cass Health, Gregg Young of Atlantic, First Whitney Bank & Trust, Meyer & Gross Real Estate, Nishna Valley Family YMCA, Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce and the City of Atlantic.

For the latest information on Christmas Market and all Produce in the Park markets, follow Produce in the Park on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ProduceInThePark) or Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/produceintheparkatlanticia/).

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Atlantic Mayor Grace Garrett recognized two City Council members who are stepping down at the end of the month. Second Ward Councilman Lee Sisco and Third Ward Councilman Pat McCurdy, as well as Fourth Ward Councilwoman Linda Hartkopf were mentioned as being valuable members of the Council.

She said “It’s hard to find good people to serve, and I can say that we have been blessed with some good folks to serve alongside. And, I have had a very supportive Council since I took my role as Mayor, and I want you Lee (Sisco) how much I appreciate your expertise, how much you’ve brought to the table.” (Click on the images below to enlarge. Ric Hanson/photos)

Mayor Garrett & Councilman Sisco

Mayor Garrett & Councilperson Hartkopf.

She said Sisco is “a retired State Trooper from California, and he brought a lot to the table and he served on our committees well.” Sisco said his experience on the Council “Has been kind of an education. I think if anybody’s in the community they really ought to think about it, because there’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes that I don’t think the community completely understands what it takes to get a simple crosswalk done. There’s a lot of cogs in the wheel that have to turn and turn properly and I think the more involvement we get from the community the better off we are.”

Councilperson Linda Hartkopf was recognized next. The Mayor said she “Has served our community well for several years (16 years altogether). She has truly given some years to serving her community, and she’s done it well.” In addition to being a Councilperson, Linda Hartkopf has served as Mayor Pro-Tem the past two-years. Hartkopf said she’s enjoyed very much serving the community and she “Didn’t know what she was in for when [she] was elected” when she won as a write-in candidate. She promised when she first ran for the Council that she would “Listen to the people who contacted me (constituents) about an issue, and vote the way they wanted [me] to.” She said she has tried to maintain true to her promise and vote the way the majority in her ward wanted her to.

Mayor Garrett congratulates Councilperson Elect Emily Kennedy.

Mayor Garrett congratulates Councilperson Elect Mike McDermott.

Mayor Garrett congratulates Councilperson Elect Shawn Sarsfield.

Mayor Garrett congratulates Councilperson Elaine Otte.

The Mayor presented Sisco and Hartkopf with some parting gifts before moving-on to the swearing-in of re-elected Councilman Jim Behrens, who, due to redistricting represents the 2nd Ward, and newly elected Councilpersons Emily Kennedy – 1st Ward; Mike McDermott – 3rd Ward, and Shawn Sarsfield – 4th Ward. Garrett also issued the Oath of Office to re-elected Councilwoman Elaine Otte.

Councilman Jim Behrens is sworn-in.

At the end of the meeting, Mayor Garrett reminded citizens that fireworks are permitted on New Years Eve from 6-p.m. Dec. 31st until 12:15-a.m., January 1st. She said use the opportunity to celebrate responsibly. She also wished the community a Merry Christmas from the home of she and her husband Bill. “We wish you well. We wish you safety and we wish you a wonderful and healthy 2024. We are very thankful for our hometown and we are very thankful to call Atlantic our home.”